Buckle.



M. R. COWELL.

BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15| 1914.

1,178,136. V Patented Ap1-.4,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

M. R. CUWELL.

BUCKLE.

APFLlcATloN FILED MAY 15, 1914.

Patented Apr. 4,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

s En sTATEf-sf 15AM* oren.

MARCUS RAY oowELr., or sr. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

` BUCKLE.

Patented Apr. 4., 1916.

` Application filed May 15, 1914. Serial No. 838,637.

Be it known that I, MARCUS RAY CownLL,

va subject of the King `of Great Britain, and

resident .at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey andStateof Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful 'Improvements in Buckles, of which the following is a specification.l

This invention relatesto improvements in bucklesl designed for holding straps together, or for locking the end of a single strap to a` buckle frame, which frame may be secured to any supporting part in any desired manner.

The object of the invention is to provide a buckle that 'will fasten two straps together or will lock asingle-strap at any desired pointwithout the use of the ,ordinary buckle tongue.

\ The invention vconsists generally in the constructions and combinations hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

.In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a. longitudinal sectional view of a buckle embodying my Vinvention and illustrating one method of using the same. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a slightly modified con struction, Fig.V 3 isa plan view of the buckle shown in-Fig. 2, with a 'strap arranged in connection therewith to form aloop. Fig. Asis a plan view of the buckle shown in Fig.

3 with Vthe strap omitted, Fig. 5 is aV transverse vertical section `on line :roi Fig. 4: looking in the direction of the arrow, Fig.

6 is a plan view of the buckle shown in Fig.

Vf lclwith a modilied arrangement of locking bar. Fig( 7 is a transverse section of the buckle shown in Fig. 6, takenon the line y--fy of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrow, Fig. Sis a plan view of a modified form of the buckle provided with two locking bars, Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the buckle `shown in Fig. 8, Fig. 10 is a plan view'showing the buckle having its frame formed integrally with a spring-controlled connecting device, Fig. 11 is .a sectional vview of a buckle Substantially Y the same as that shown .in Fig. 8, with modiiiedv arrangement of the locking bars,

Fig. 12 is a section on line g-g of Fig. 11

looking in the direction of the arrow.

In all of the drawings 2 represents the buckle frame, which is provided with parallel side bars 3-3, and, as here shown, is

provided with two end bars 4 1, arranged at right angles to the side bars 8-3. In some instances I provide at each end of the buckle frame a keeper 5, which is preferably formed by integral extensions of the s1de bars 3 and a crossbar or rod parallel to the end bar or bars 4c adjoining the ends of the extensions of the side bars 3. (See Figs. 1, 8, 9, 10 and l1). The term keeper is employed because the member so desig nated serves to keep the strap in its looped or attened condition. In Figs. l .and 10 of the drawings I have shown a keeper 5 at one end only of the buckle frame, while in Figs. 8, 9 and 11, I have shown a keeper at `each end of the buckle frame. I may employ the keeper at one or both ends as .freely on said bars toward either end of the buckle frame. I' prefer to form these locking bars by making a loop of suflicient size to pass over the buckle frame, so that after .it is brought inside of the end bars 4f, the

portionsl thereof between the side bars 3 may be pressed inward and brought in contact, or substantially in contact, with each other, as shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings. This locking bar is preferably made of a half round strip of metal. so that the body of the bar between the loops surrounding the side bars will have flat surfaces facing each other, and thereby making this part of the locking bar substantially cylindrical in cross section as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 9 of the drawings. The loops thus formed at the ends of the bar slide freely on the side bars 3 and the locking bar cannot come oit' from the buckle frame as the main part of the locking bar, extending cross-wise between the loops, will come in contact with the inner sides of the end bars 44, thus limiting the movement of the cross bar in either direction. If preferred, the side bars 3 may be provided withV longitudinal ways or recesses 7 and in this instance the locking bar 6 is provided with a journal 8 at each end, these journals engaging the said recesses or ways 7, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings.

With this construction thelocking bars 6 can be moved lengthwise of the buckle frame, being held at all times parallel to Y the end bars 4, the action beingsubstantially the same as with the looped locking bar- 6 already described, except that with the lock-V ing bar shown in Figs. 6 .and 7 of the drawings, there may be a rolling as well as a sliding action of the Vbar along the buckle frame.

In Fig. 10 of the drawings, one end of the buckle frame is shown formed integrally With the frame of a connecting device 9,

having spring arms l0 to which a Vmember 1l having a stud l2, may be connected.

In Figs. 1l and 12 I have shown another` modification of the buckle. In this strue-l ture the sidebars are shown with longitudinal grooves 7, corresponding tothe groove 7 shown in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings, and the locking bars 6 are corrugated land have their ends engagingV teeth 13 forinedoii the upper and lower walls ofthe recesses 7. l/Vit'h this construction a pull on the strap tends to roll the locking bar toward the end of the buckle frame, the corrugations engaging the teeth on the Wall of the recess Vor way 7, which Yprevents any slipping of said bar as it is rolled forward by. the pull on the strap. Y Y

As shown in Figs. l, 2 and 9 the end bars e are'preferably off-set, or arrangedrabove or below the central plane ofv the Vbuckle frame, and their inner faces are flattened,

saidv bars being substantially D-shaped in cross-section. This arrangement brings a sharp` angle of the bar against/the surface sharp edge or coiner ofthe end bar, and

said 'edge or corner enibedsitself slightly in the leather. The Yend bar being off-set and placed above or below the central plane of the buckle frame, this sharp edge of the end Y bail will be in position .to hold the'V strap' which is pressed against it by the movable locking bar. In the-structures showninFigs. .K8 and 9 the inner lcorners of the .bars 4 are 'preferably rounded off so that said corners will not embed Ythemselves in the leather, whileY the outer cornersV are left sharp so that they will` embed themselves inthe leather.and`

prevent the short VendV ofthe'stra'p from' Y working out.V If preferred the keeper bars 5V may also be provided with flat inner faces thus providing sharp corners to bear against the strap when the device is in use as shown in Figs. 9 and vl1 ofthe drawing. Wherel the corrugated lockingbar is employed theV .Y

end bars 4 may be of cylindricalv form as Y indicated in Fig. 11 of thedrawings.

Y I do not limit myself to the details of the Y construction, as itis obvious that innanyfv Y changes in details of construction may be' Vmade without departing fromlrniy invention.: Y

. I claim as my invention 1; 1. A buckle, comprising a frame having parallel, longitudinally extending-sideibars and transverse bars offset from the'pl'ane of; the side bars andhaving ii'attened inner surfarces to present -angularfedges toward. a 'centrally disposed locking bar, and. a locking bar arranged-betWeenrand Vparallel Vto, v"

the transverse bars with its ends supported'` by said. side-bars and movable longitudi- V2. A buckle, comprising-a frame having Y -nally thereof.

parallel, longitudinally extending. side-bars and transverse bars disposed atoppositeV Vsides of a centrallydisposed locking bar and oiiset from the plane of the sidebars and Yhaving flattened innerv surfaces` to present.

angularV edges toward the locking bar, aV Vkeeper bar parallel t'ojone. of said transverse bars and carried by extensions of the side Y bars, and a locking bar` arranged between said transversebars withV its ends Vsupported by said side-bars and movable longitudinally Y i Y thereof.

'-3. A buckle havingaframe-V rovidedlwith .Y

parallel, longitudinallyexten ing sidelbars,

a transverse bar :Eormedfintegrally ,withlsaid' side bars Vand offset Vfrom theplane'thereofV and having a iattened inner surfaceY t'opre sent an angular edge towardV acentral locking bar, and a locking bar .arranged"parallel to said end bar with its ends supported upon said side bars and movable longitudinally thereof.` f

In .witness whereof,- Ihavehereunto set `i myliand this6th day oMay .1914.11 :1

- Witnesses:

EDWARD A. `PAUL,*- l V Gr. E. SORENSEN;` s Y VVMARCUS RfAY-COWELL. i

i Copies of thisY patent` may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing theffdcinmssionei: of; Eateiitx, 

